BellaOnline Forums Money Frugal Living What is your most useful frugal tip?

With all your experiences living frugally, what tip has served you best over time?

Before I got laid off in 2008, I use to throw out my lotion bottles as soon as it got inconvenient to use(lol). Now I drain EVERY bit from the bottles before I throw them out by inverting the bottles. You will be surprised at how much is left!!!!

What about you Jilly - same question?

Angela, that is a really good tip. I actually go to the point of cutting the bottoms off the containers and wiping the remainders out with my fingers. A really good lotion can be like $7 and I don't want to waste any.

Dollar stores often have lotions but not generally the ones I really like - i like mine loaded with antioxidants and even suncreen.

my best tip...hmmm...

okay, here are some of my most useful IMO tips -

1. Cancel the cable bill and watch everything on Hulu.com (free) or Netflicks.com (subscription based).

2. Don't drive to places that are within a reasonable walk. If you must drive, combine your errands. Or order things online and skip driving for errands totally.

3.Collect your rainwater for garden/yard use, and to use in emergencies.

4. Compost your food and yard wastes for free mulch!

5. Buy clothes, linens and housewares at thrift stores - never buy new if you don't have to.

6. Create a price book and stock up on food items when the loss leader sales (or excellent coupons) come around.

7. Before you buy, always ask yourself if you need that thing. If yes, see if you can find it cheaper somewhere. There are actually apps for that.

8. Don't bother with a landline phone - a simple cell phone is more useful. Or just use Skype for free.

9. Wear sunscreen. No, really. It's cheaper than skin cancer.

10. Don't be ashamed to ask for financial help from the government if you need it.

Okay that's ten things.

Look for the source of what you've bought and re-use it a different way.

1.toilet paper and paper towel rolls: I cut up the edges into a fringe, douse them in catnip and both my cats adore them as their favorite toys!

2.Coffee, hot chocolate cans, etc are great containers! I use them for receipts, moist pet treats, paint brush holders, pen/pencil holder, etc.

3.egg cartons as seed starters

4.empty duct tape roll with a dab of peanut butter on the inside, keeps my dogs happy when they'd like a new toy/snack.

5.empty water and milk jugs, cut a hole in one side, put in seeds and such and you have a great feeder for birds and squirrels.

6.cardboard inserts from calendars are great for decoration. Put construction paper over it and then tape some pics of family and friends on it, get a frame or 2 at the dollar store and you have pictures for every room in the house.

7.save the packaging from the scented lotion or bath stuff that we women get at xmas and b-days. these boxes, ribbons and scents are wonderful to fill with potpourri, fake flowers, use as seasonal center pieces or creative packaging for homemade gifts for others' xmas and b-days.

It's not much, but it's all I got!

Great Grandaughter, those are awesome tips.

When you say douse the rolls in catnip, do you mean rub the herbs on them, or make a tea and dip them in it, or something else?

I like the idea of using food containers for moist pet treats. Mine are never moist by the end. This will make my pets happier.

Water and milk jugs have so many uses, these should be a book!

Great idea on the toiletries packaging for gifts. We often don't think outside the 'bag.'

Also, love your avatar photo! What are your dogs' names?

Clean with vinegar, baking soda, and borax. Get rid of the poisons in the cupboards. You will have a cleaner house and save tons of money.

Use Diatomaceous earth for pest control in yard, in house, on animals and people. Excellent for flea, tick, ant, lice problems and is also a wonderful parasitic. Get rid of all the toxic treatments and save tons of money in the process.

Grow and dry your own herbs. I seriously don't know where stores get off charging what they do for seasonings.

Start a community share - grow fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers then have a community swap so everybody gets something they need from a known source.

An inexpensive fun way to decorate up a house is Trompe loeil Curtain Panels. I am a minimalist yet my house is colorful and displays personality. I use creative color techniques on walls and Trompe panels over windows to make each room pop. And, without the clutter each room feels like a get-away.

Look for necessary items on craigslist and salvation army stores. It is not complicated to reinvent a piece of furniture.

This is awesome. Great ideas, Deb. I hope everyone can add their ideas and our thread can help people as a resource.

How do you use diatomacous earth for fleas? Put it in the cat's fur? Do you think it would also work for gnats? or termites? I seem to be having a buggy season.

I totally agree on the herbs. if i buy used spices I never pay more than 1.00 a container (i wait for the sales or use dollar stores). But still, growing them yourself is pretty much FREE. Anyone with either a window or a lightbulb can grow their own herbs.

Do you have photos of those curtains? That sounds unique.

I use vinegar, baking soda, ammonia and bleach for cleaning pretty much everything. Oh and murphy's soap for wood. I do get sucked into trying fancy new cleaners sometimes, but I know that is totally unnecessary.

I would suggest losing the ammonia, bleach and murphy's soap. To keep wood items in top shape coat with olive oil, let soak a few minutes and wipe. You will be astonished at how beautiful your wood pieces shine!

Vinegar, baking soda and borax covers ammonia and bleach uses and it gets the toxins out of your house.

Trompe loeil Curtain Panels: here are some good sites:
Amazon stores have some good deals.
Touch of Class
My house has Desert Garden, Zen, and Island Breeze. I have my house done up in desert colors. White is only used on ceiling and trim.

Food grade diatomaceous earth (NOT pool grade!): Added to food it kills any parasites animals/people might pick up. It kills anything with an exoskeleton, such as, fleas, ticks, ants, lice, and larvae. In the simplest terms, what DE does is hyper-dehydrates pests and bugs, quickly and efficiently.

It also eliminates odor in litter boxes and carpet. The uses for it really is endless. It is 100% natural so long as you get Natural/Food grade and NOT pool grade (which is toxic). Call your local animal feed stores farmers use DE to maintain grains and animal health. It is the most reliable way to know you are getting Food grade DE.

For fleas and ticks: rub into animal fur - get the folds and creases ... where the bugs like to hide. Be mindful of the eyes and use a damp towel over eyes when rubbing face to avoid mild irritation. If DE gets into your pets eye no worries just rinse it with some water. It will not damage the eye.

When mixing DE in dry food add it to food bin and shake. A little goes a long way.

Spread it out in your yard. It will not harm plants or grass.

Really, I could go on ad infinitum. I use it to care for my foster animals and use it to treat kids in the neighborhood who come home from school with lice issues. I use it to keep plants healthy, keep fleas and ticks gone ... get those ants out of the house, keep cat room smelling fresh, deodorize the one remaining carpet (hate carpet) I have. Excellent for keeping bed mattresses and cloth furniture pest free.

I do use food grade oil on my furniture for polish, but not for floors. I love the murphy's soap.

I also make sure I have plenty of bleach for emergency water treatment.

Ammonia and bleach are not toxic when used properly.